Have you an opinion on Amegadjie? If Davis gets injured or sucks, could we try him at guard? I see that Powers-Johnson has already transitioned to guard.
With his quad surgery robbing him of practicing since October of 2023, I have to believe he's not a 2024 help to this team. He missed OTA's, summer camp, preseason games. And it's not like he is from a bigtime program (he went to Yale). He's a high-ceiling prospect that probably needs a year. He was reliable and healthy before the quad injury, so he will hopefully (eventually) be a real stud for us, a 1st round level talent eventually. But he is a long-term investment. Not a 2024 guy.
If he’s that injured, why isn’t he on IR?
I thought he’s been participating in practice recently.
How would you feel about trying him at guard next year, assuming we continue to be weak there?
With his quad surgery robbing him of practicing since October of 2023, I have to believe he's not a 2024 help to this team. He missed OTA's, summer camp, preseason games. And it's not like he is from a bigtime program (he went to Yale). He's a high-ceiling prospect that probably needs a year. He was reliable and healthy before the quad injury, so he will hopefully (eventually) be a real stud for us, a 1st round level talent eventually. But he is a long-term investment. Not a 2024 guy.
If he’s that injured, why isn’t he on IR?
I thought he’s been participating in practice recently.
How would you feel about trying him at guard next year, assuming we continue to be weak there?
Yes, he recently started practicing with the team. He's healthy now but missed almost a year. I figure the Bears can now begin working with him and figure out where he's best suited to play... I can't even guess because I don't really know much about him. Looking at his draft profile, he looks like a prototypical LT, with a VERY high ceiling. He may push or even beat out Braxton Jones. I would think the Bears will allow him to challenge Brax in 2025. Especially since BJ's contract expires at the end of that season. But we really don't know what will happen.
LINK Overview: With a rare blend of athletic traits and eye-popping length, it might be a mistake to bet against the high number of boxes Amegadjie checks. His hand usage is a work in progress, and he hasn't learned to consistently get into blocks with proper footwork and body control, but both issues are coachable and likely to be corrected. Provided he improves his punch-timing and placement, his ability to keep rushers at the end of his length could become a big advantage. Amegadjie already possesses impressive explosiveness as a drive blocker and could become a quality NFL starter once his tutelage is complete."
Have you an opinion on Amegadjie? If Davis gets injured or sucks, could we try him at guard? I see that Powers-Johnson has already transitioned to guard.
With his quad surgery robbing him of practicing since October of 2023, I have to believe he's not a 2024 help to this team. He missed OTA's, summer camp, preseason games. And it's not like he is from a bigtime program (he went to Yale). He's a high-ceiling prospect that probably needs a year. He was reliable and healthy before the quad injury, so he will hopefully (eventually) be a real stud for us, a 1st round level talent eventually. But he is a long-term investment. Not a 2024 guy.
Personally, I like the guy. I have no idea how good he can be though. You only know after they have had time to practice, work out, practice, work out...... over and over
With his quad surgery robbing him of practicing since October of 2023, I have to believe he's not a 2024 help to this team. He missed OTA's, summer camp, preseason games. And it's not like he is from a bigtime program (he went to Yale). He's a high-ceiling prospect that probably needs a year. He was reliable and healthy before the quad injury, so he will hopefully (eventually) be a real stud for us, a 1st round level talent eventually. But he is a long-term investment. Not a 2024 guy.
Personally, I like the guy. I have no idea how good he can be though. You only know after they have had time to practice, work out, practice, work out...... over and over
If he can play guard and we get a quality center (finally), that would fix the OL.
If they trade Brax for a 4th rounder, you still have two holes to fill on the OL.
Personally, I like the guy. I have no idea how good he can be though. You only know after they have had time to practice, work out, practice, work out...... over and over
If he can play guard and we get a quality center (finally), that would fix the OL.
If they trade Brax for a 4th rounder, you still have two holes to fill on the OL.
If Brax has a solid year then hopefully they pay/keep him. Maybe Wright gets moved to G. But yesterday he graded out better than Brax. He was our best OL on Sunday and it wasn't even close.
If he can play guard and we get a quality center (finally), that would fix the OL.
If they trade Brax for a 4th rounder, you still have two holes to fill on the OL.
If Brax has a solid year then hopefully they pay/keep him. Maybe Wright gets moved to G. But yesterday he graded out better than Brax. He was our best OL on Sunday and it wasn't even close.
Brax got a false start so that affects the grade. I didn’t see any serious problems in pass protection with him or Wright. The main rush was coming straight up the middle, as usual.
You may have noticed that the Bears run more to left side than right, and that’s because of Brax and Jenkins clearing out running lanes. They are both excellent on sweeps.
I still think Wright at 335, slower feet, and short arms is better suited physically to play guard than tackle, whereas Amegadjie on paper looks more like a tackle at 325 and great length.
If he can play guard and we get a quality center (finally), that would fix the OL.
If they trade Brax for a 4th rounder, you still have two holes to fill on the OL.
If Brax has a solid year then hopefully they pay/keep him. Maybe Wright gets moved to G. But yesterday he graded out better than Brax. He was our best OL on Sunday and it wasn't even close.
Just got done watching JT O breakdown the film, Wright wasn't great, but he normally held up, Brax got just beat like a drum same w/Jenkins, Davis and whoever else they had at C/IOL.
Pass rush/DL: Was a big worry for all of us but they took a big step forward week 1. Taylor, Sweat, Dexter, Billings, and Walker were all very good and kept the heat on Levis in the 2nd half when they had to get stops
Secondary: We all thought they would be good and it looks like they will be. Other than a few bad plays, coverage was tight and got 2 INTs (easily could have been 4). Levis was pretty flawless until late in the game when he started making mistakes and DBs made him pay.
STs outside of Velus: Santos hit 2 long FGs, punting was great, and Carter is a solid return man. Coverage on kicks was also very good.
Flus: Flus actually made some halftime adjustments on defense and they shut down the Tennessee O after giving up 2 a couple of not so good scoring drives in the 1st half. I'll give Flus credit cuz that was our only shot to win the game with the O sucking.
STOCK DOWN
Velus: I'm done with the Velus experiment and I sure hope the coaches are too. He's inactive going forward for me (activate Scott and/or RoJo). The only role left for Velus is an occasional jet sweep or end around. It's time for Poles to admit he missed on this draft pick. Barring injury ahead of him on the depth chart, Velus should be inactive by default.
iOL: I know Tenn has a monster DL but yeash these guys were terrible. It felt like almost every play was blown up before it had a chance to work by pressure right up the middle. I saw Jenkins (yeah he SUCKED badly), Shelton, Davis, and Bates all get wrecked. To me, most of the problems on O were 100% on the iOL getting beat like a drum play after play. Lotta work to do there.
Caleb: Don't care what he said on HK, he was clearly amped up and jittery in the 1st half. He had 2 deep balls that are TDs for him 90% of the time and he overcooked both of them likely due to butterflies. A 3rd TD was dropped by Allen. I'm not worried about him as he had guys in his face way too much but yeah he has to settle down going forward. To his credit, he didn't turn the ball over or it surely would have been an L.
Bears have a lotta work to do on the OL or they are gonna get waxed next weekend in Houston. That's all I am worried about at this point. The D, including DL, looks like they can compete with anyone, not worried about QB-WR misfires at this point, and STs should be above average once you bench Velus.
Figure out the blocking issues cuz that was overwhelmingly why the O was sputtering all game.
Walker showed why he's starting over any of the backup specialists. He can get pressure, while also working against he run. DL early wasn't getting to the qb, but it was forcing pressure, and as we saw w/CWill pressure is a qb's worst enemy; it broke Levis and he made really bad mistakes. Williams wasn't good but Levis broke, that's what DL pressure does to a qb. Bears DL looked good. Entire starting DL did fine by the end of the game 2ndry is the teams biggest strength and it shows. Vajayjay all on his own removed an 100% from the ST's grade. Watching JT O breakdown CWill, seems like he overall liked the O playcalling. I'd say the coaches in general had a good day.
Yet Flus praised VJJ after the game. Maddening. Not sure what that dude has on this staff and Poles, but they just refuse to admit this isn't working. OC/OG were a last year, during the offseason, during FA and in the draft, and after. I'm getting tired of every GM/HC pretending the OL isn't important. Throwing money at shitty failed OL'men from other teams to replace your shitty failed OL isn't fixing anything. Mid/Late round projects aren't going to fix it either. Brax didn't have a great game either.
Not only was Caleb nervous, which should be expected, he never settled. Some of that is on him, he all on his own has plenty of bad tape, but the forementioned IOL never gave him a shot to settle down and relax. Unlike Levis though, the one brightpoint for Williams was the pressure rattled him and he had a bad game, but he wasn't broken b/c of it. Levis broke and threw terrible passes b/c of the pressure.
JTO actually in his tape asked if the Bears had a rotation going on w/the OL and mocked it b/c it's such a terrible idea; and it showed all game. Real problem is that it wouldn't have mattered b/c every player they have on the IOL, outside of Jenkins(who was also bad) isn't starting quality.
I want to like the guy, I want him to have success but when he muffed the KO I have to admit--I wasn't surprised at all. He's like the Bobby Wade of this team. For you young guys, Wade had like 4 muffed punts in one game. They just kept putting him out there and Wade just kept dropping them.
Carter is the return guy from now on, has to be.
+1 I was so hoping he would prove to be a good player. But you can't trust his hands. I don't think they can fix him in that area. It's a shame because if he did have good hands he'd be a decent player. But yeah, I don't want to see him fielding kicks anymore.
Team so much wants him to be seen like Patterson or Hester but he isn't. Need to just stop and get it to your actual playmakers and leave the bench guys on the bench
Pass rush/DL: Was a big worry for all of us but they took a big step forward week 1. Taylor, Sweat, Dexter, Billings, and Walker were all very good and kept the heat on Levis in the 2nd half when they had to get stops
Secondary: We all thought they would be good and it looks like they will be. Other than a few bad plays, coverage was tight and got 2 INTs (easily could have been 4). Levis was pretty flawless until late in the game when he started making mistakes and DBs made him pay.
STs outside of Velus: Santos hit 2 long FGs, punting was great, and Carter is a solid return man. Coverage on kicks was also very good.
Flus: Flus actually made some halftime adjustments on defense and they shut down the Tennessee O after giving up 2 a couple of not so good scoring drives in the 1st half. I'll give Flus credit cuz that was our only shot to win the game with the O sucking.
STOCK DOWN
Velus: I'm done with the Velus experiment and I sure hope the coaches are too. He's inactive going forward for me (activate Scott and/or RoJo). The only role left for Velus is an occasional jet sweep or end around. It's time for Poles to admit he missed on this draft pick. Barring injury ahead of him on the depth chart, Velus should be inactive by default.
iOL: I know Tenn has a monster DL but yeash these guys were terrible. It felt like almost every play was blown up before it had a chance to work by pressure right up the middle. I saw Jenkins (yeah he SUCKED badly), Shelton, Davis, and Bates all get wrecked. To me, most of the problems on O were 100% on the iOL getting beat like a drum play after play. Lotta work to do there.
Caleb: Don't care what he said on HK, he was clearly amped up and jittery in the 1st half. He had 2 deep balls that are TDs for him 90% of the time and he overcooked both of them likely due to butterflies. A 3rd TD was dropped by Allen. I'm not worried about him as he had guys in his face way too much but yeah he has to settle down going forward. To his credit, he didn't turn the ball over or it surely would have been an L.
Bears have a lotta work to do on the OL or they are gonna get waxed next weekend in Houston. That's all I am worried about at this point. The D, including DL, looks like they can compete with anyone, not worried about QB-WR misfires at this point, and STs should be above average once you bench Velus.
Figure out the blocking issues cuz that was overwhelmingly why the O was sputtering all game.
Walker showed why he's starting over any of the backup specialists. He can get pressure, while also working against he run. DL early wasn't getting to the qb, but it was forcing pressure, and as we saw w/CWill pressure is a qb's worst enemy; it broke Levis and he made really bad mistakes. Williams wasn't good but Levis broke, that's what DL pressure does to a qb. Bears DL looked good. Entire starting DL did fine by the end of the game 2ndry is the teams biggest strength and it shows. Vajayjay all on his own removed an 100% from the ST's grade. Watching JT O breakdown CWill, seems like he overall liked the O playcalling. I'd say the coaches in general had a good day.
Yet Flus praised VJJ after the game. Maddening. Not sure what that dude has on this staff and Poles, but they just refuse to admit this isn't working. OC/OG were a last year, during the offseason, during FA and in the draft, and after. I'm getting tired of every GM/HC pretending the OL isn't important. Throwing money at shitty failed OL'men from other teams to replace your shitty failed OL isn't fixing anything. Mid/Late round projects aren't going to fix it either. Brax didn't have a great game either.
Not only was Caleb nervous, which should be expected, he never settled. Some of that is on him, he all on his own has plenty of bad tape, but the forementioned IOL never gave him a shot to settle down and relax. Unlike Levis though, the one brightpoint for Williams was the pressure rattled him and he had a bad game, but he wasn't broken b/c of it. Levis broke and threw terrible passes b/c of the pressure.
JTO actually in his tape asked if the Bears had a rotation going on w/the OL and mocked it b/c it's such a terrible idea; and it showed all game. Real problem is that it wouldn't have mattered b/c every player they have on the IOL, outside of Jenkins(who was also bad) isn't starting quality.
Can't argue with any of this. I need to watch the JTO video, usually don't have time between classes/home but I'll try. I did think the playcalling was terrible on OFF, so thats what I'm interested in.
VJJ---want to like him, feels like he'd be fun to hang with, but he should never be in a position to catch another KO again. But, I have a feeling on Sunday day, he'll be out there on the first KO. He's like the anti-Bellamy. Bellamy was terrific on ST-- a 4 phase PBer. He was a terrible WR, so naturally the Bears used him as a WR whenever possible. VJJ is terrible at his primary job--catching KO/punts. So Naturally the Bears want him to be a RB/WR/all-around-OFF-weapon.
